BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:Little is known about the impact of the recent varicella vaccine shortage. To assess the temporal trend in varicella vaccine administration before 18 and 24 months of age in a community cohort of children prior to, during and after the recent varicella vaccine shortage. And to compare the temporal trends in varicella vaccinations to trends of an older, more widely accepted vaccine, the MMR. METHODS:Community population-based birth cohorts were identified who were eligible for the varicella vaccination before, during and after the 2001 to 2002 varicella vaccine shortage. Only children (84% of all) who remained in the community through their second birthday were included. For each child in the cohort, the medical records and immunization registry records from both medical facilities in the county were reviewed to identify the dates and sites for all varicella immunizations given. In addition to varicella immunizations, the dates of all MMR vaccinations were recorded. Additional data abstracted included the child's birth date, gender and dates of any recognized cases of chickenpox up through age 24 months. RESULTS:Of the 2,512 children in the birth cohorts, 50.8% were boys. In the three cohorts combined, 81.1% of the boys and 79.3% of the girls (p = 0.30) received the varicella vaccine by age 24 months. The pre-shortage community rate of varicella immunization was 79.7% by 24 months of age. During the varicella vaccine shortage, the rate of varicella immunization by 24 months fell to 77.2%. Only 6 additional children received a "catch-up" immunization by 36 months of age. In the post shortage period the community 24-month immunization rate rebounded to a level higher than the pre-shortage rate 84.0%. During the almost three years of observation, the MMR immunization rate by age 24 months was constant (87%). CONCLUSION:The varicella shortage was associated with an immediate drop in the 24-month varicella immunizations rate but rebounded quickly to above pre-shortage rates. In this community the only long term impact of the varicella vaccine shortage may be on the small number of children who still had not received catch-up varicella immunizations by 36 months of age.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :In the present pilot study, the feasibility of a site-of-care cervicovaginal self-sampling methodology for HPV-based screening was tested in 346 women residing in underserved rural areas of Northern Greece. These women provided self-collected cervicovaginal sample along with a study questionnaire. Following molecular testing, using the cobas® HPV Test, Roche®, HPV positive women, were referred to colposcopy and upon abnormal findings, to biopsy and treatment. Participation rate was 100%. Regular pap-test examination was reported for 17.1%. Among hrHPV testing, 11.9% were positive and colposcopy/biopsy revealed 2 CIN3 cases. Non-compliance was the most prevalent reason for no previous attendance. Most women reported non-difficulty and non-discomfort in self-sampling (77.6% and 82.4%, respectively). They would choose self-sampling over clinician-sampling (86.2%), and should self-sampling being available, they would test themselves more regularly (92.3%). In conclusion, self-sampling is feasible and well-accepted for HPV-based screening, and could increase population coverage in underserved areas, helping towards successful prevention.

背景与目标： : 在本试点研究中，对居住在希腊北部服务不足的农村地区的346名妇女进行了基于HPV筛查的护理现场宫颈阴道自采样方法的可行性进行了测试。这些妇女提供了自我收集的宫颈阴道样本以及研究问卷。在分子测试之后，使用cobas®罗氏HPV检测®HPV阳性女性被转诊至阴道镜检查和异常发现后，进行活检和治疗。参与率为100%。报告定期进行17.1% 巴氏试验检查。在hrHPV检测中，11.9% 例为阳性，阴道镜/活检显示2例CIN3。不遵守是以前没有出席的最普遍原因。大多数妇女报告说，自我取样没有困难，也没有不适 (分别为77.6% 和82.4%)。他们将选择自采样而不是临床医生采样 (86.2%)，并且如果自采样可用，他们将更定期地测试自己 (92.3%)。总之，自我采样对于基于HPV的筛查是可行的且被广泛接受，并且可以增加服务不足地区的人口覆盖率，从而有助于成功预防。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: OBJECTIVE:To examine the analytic role of arsenic exposure on cancer mortality among the low-dose (well water arsenic level <150 μg/L) villages in the Blackfoot-disease (BFD) endemic area of southwest Taiwan and with respect to the southwest regional data. METHOD:Poisson analyses of the bladder and lung cancer deaths with respect to arsenic exposure (μg/kg/day) for the low-dose (<150 μg/L) villages with exposure defined by the village median, mean, or maximum and with or without regional data. RESULTS:Use of the village median well water arsenic level as the exposure metric introduced misclassification bias by including villages with levels >500 μg/L, but use of the village mean or the maximum did not. Poisson analyses using mean or maximum arsenic levels showed significant negative cancer slope factors for models of bladder cancers and of bladder and lung cancers combined. Inclusion of the southwest Taiwan regional data did not change the findings when the model contained an explanatory variable for non-arsenic differences. A positive slope could only be generated by including the comparison population as a separate data point with the assumption of zero arsenic exposure from drinking water and eliminating the variable for non-arsenic risk factors. CONCLUSION:The cancer rates are higher among the low-dose (<150 μg/L) villages in the BFD area than in the southwest Taiwan region. However, among the low-dose villages in the BFD area, cancer risks suggest a negative association with well water arsenic levels. Positive differences from regional data seem attributable to non-arsenic ecological factors.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The Z-Scan (ZS) technique in the thermal regime has been used to measure the nonlinear optical response of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The ZS technique is carried out in LDL from 40 patients with chronic periodontitis before and after three, six, and 12 months of periodontal treatment. Clinical parameters such as probing depths, bleeding on probing, total and differential white blood cells counts, lipid profiles, cytokine levels, and antibodies against oxidized LDL are also determined and compared over time. Before the treatment, the ZS experimental results reveal that the LDL particles of these patients are heavily modified. Only after 12 months of the periodontal treatment, the ZS results obtained reveal behavioral characteristics of healthy particles. This conclusion is also supported by complementary laboratorial analysis showing that the periodontal treatment induces systemic changes in several inflammatory markers.

背景与目标： : 热状态下的Z扫描 (ZS) 技术已用于测量低密度脂蛋白 (LDL) 的非线性光学响应。ZS技术是在牙周治疗3、6和12个月之前和之后对40例慢性牙周炎患者的LDL进行的。还可以确定临床参数，例如探测深度，探测出血，白细胞总数和差异计数，脂质分布，细胞因子水平以及针对氧化LDL的抗体，并随时间进行比较。治疗前，ZS实验结果表明，这些患者的LDL颗粒已被严重修饰。仅在牙周治疗12个月后，获得的ZS结果才显示出健康颗粒的行为特征。该结论也得到补充实验室分析的支持，该分析表明牙周治疗可引起几种炎症标志物的全身变化。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, has shown experimental and clinical efficacy in a range of neuromodulatory models, even when delivered at low intensity (i.e. subthreshold for action potential generation). After central nervous system (CNS) injury, studies suggest that reactive astrocytes and microglia can have detrimental but also beneficial effects; thus modulating glial activity, for example through application of rTMS, could potentially be a useful therapeutic tool following neurotrauma. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the effect of low intensity rTMS (LI-rTMS) on GFAP (astrocyte), IBA1 (microglial), and CS56 (proteoglycan) expression in a unilateral penetrating cortical stab injury model of glial scarring in young adult and aged male and female C57BL6/J mice. Mice received contralateral low frequency, ipsilateral low frequency, ipsilateral high frequency or sham LI-rTMS (4-5mT intensity), for two weeks following injury. There was no significant difference in the overall volume of tissue containing GFAP positive (+) astrocytes, IBA1+ microglia, or proteoglycan expression, between sham and LI-rTMS-treated mice of all ages and sex. Importantly however, the density of GFAP+ astrocytes and IBA1+ microglia immediately adjacent to the injury was significantly reduced following ipsilateral low and high frequency stimulation in adult and aged females (p≤0.05), but was significantly increased in adult and aged males (p≤0.05). LI-rTMS effects were generally of greater magnitude in aged mice compared to young adult mice. These results suggest that sex differences need to be factored into therapeutic rTMS protocols. In particular, more work analyzing frequency and intensity specific effects, especially in relation to age and sex, is required to determine how rTMS can best be used to modify glial reactivity and phenotype following neurotrauma.

背景与目标： 重复经颅磁刺激 (rTMS) 是一种非侵入性的脑刺激形式，即使在低强度 (即动作电位产生的亚阈值) 下，也已在一系列神经调节模型中显示出实验和临床功效。中枢神经系统 (CNS) 损伤后，研究表明反应性星形胶质细胞和小胶质细胞可能具有有害但有益的作用; 因此，例如通过应用rTMS调节神经胶质活性，可能是神经创伤后有用的治疗工具。免疫组织化学用于测量低强度rTMS (LI-rTMS) 对年轻成年和老年C57BL6/J小鼠单侧穿透性皮质瘢痕损伤模型中GFAP (星形胶质细胞)，IBA1 (小胶质细胞) 和CS56 (蛋白聚糖) 表达的影响。损伤后两周，小鼠接受对侧低频，同侧低频，同侧高频或假LI-rTMS (4-5mT强度)。在所有年龄和性别的sham和LI-rTMS治疗的小鼠之间，含有GFAP阳性 () 星形胶质细胞，IBA1小胶质细胞或蛋白聚糖表达的组织的总体积均无显着差异。然而，重要的是，在同侧低频和高频刺激后，与损伤紧邻的GFAP + 星形胶质细胞和IBA1 + 小胶质细胞的密度在成年和老年女性中显著降低 (p ≤ 0.05)，但在成年和老年男性中显著增加 (p ≤ 0.05)。与年轻的成年小鼠相比，老年小鼠的LI-rTMS效应通常更大。这些结果表明，需要将性别差异纳入治疗性rTMS方案。特别是，需要更多的工作来分析频率和强度的特定影响，尤其是与年龄和性别有关的影响，以确定rTMS如何最好地用于改变神经创伤后的神经胶质反应性和表型。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :In order to understand the effect of pH on the formation of electrostatic complexes between lysozyme and low methoxyl (LM) pectin, mixtures were prepared at a fixed lysozyme concentration (0.714g.L-1) by progressive addition of LM pectin (from 0 to 4g.L-1). Turbidity analysis allowed to determine specific conditions of pH and lysozyme/LM pectin ratio for optimal complex aggregation. The intrinsic fluorescence enhancement observed upon binding of LM pectin to lysozyme was correlated with the formation of intermolecular aggregates. Conversely, the intrinsic fluorescence decrease observed at higher LM pectin amounts was correlated with the dissociation of intermolecular aggregates. UV absorption spectroscopy showed modifications in lysozyme conformation during both the aggregation phase and the dissociation phase. The role of electrostatic interactions in the formation of lysozyme/LM pectin complexes is discussed in relation to the overall structure and the charge density profile of the two biopolymers.

背景与目标： 为了了解pH对溶菌酶和低甲氧基 (LM) 果胶之间静电复合物形成的影响，通过逐渐加入LM果胶 (0至4g.L-1)，在固定的溶菌酶浓度 (0.714g.L-1) 下制备混合物。浊度分析可以确定pH和溶菌酶/LM果胶比率的特定条件，以实现最佳的复合聚集。LM果胶与溶菌酶结合后观察到的固有荧光增强与分子间聚集体的形成有关。相反，在较高的LM果胶量下观察到的固有荧光降低与分子间聚集体的解离有关。紫外吸收光谱显示，在聚集相和解离相中，溶菌酶构象都发生了变化。讨论了静电相互作用在溶菌酶/LM果胶复合物形成中的作用，涉及两种生物聚合物的整体结构和电荷密度分布。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the healing of bone defects in rats with streptozotocin (STZ)-induced DM. METHODS:28 male Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. 14 animals received a single dose of STZ intraperitoneally (65 mg/kg) to induce Type I DM, whereas others were injected only with sterile saline solution. Four weeks later, standard bone defects were created in the tibiae of rats. Surgical wounds in one group from each of the diabetic and non-diabetic animals were irradiated with diode laser for every other day for 4 weeks and they were described as DM + LLLT and CONT + LLLT groups, respectively. Remaining two groups received no laser treatment. New bone formation, osteoblast and blood vessel counts were calculated in histologic sections. RESULTS:DM group had significantly smaller bone area and lower blood vessel count when compared to DM + LLLT, CONT and CONT + LLLT groups (p < 0.05 for each). CONT and CONT + LLLT groups had significantly larger bone area than DM + LLLT group (p < 0.05 for both). CONCLUSIONS:LLLT application promoted vascularization and new bone formation in animals with DM to a limited extent, since it was unable to support the healing process up to the level of non-diabetic animals.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: INTRODUCTION:Fatigue after treatment for breast cancer (BC) is common, but poorly understood. We examined the fatigue levels during first year after radiotherapy (RT) according to the extent of RT (local or locoregional), hormonal therapy (HT) and chemotherapy (CT). The impact of comorbidity was also explored. Moreover, we compared fatigue levels in patients with the general population (GenPop) data. MATERIAL AND METHODS:BC patients (n = 250) referred for post-operative RT at St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway, were enrolled. Fatigue was measured by the EORTC QLQ-C30-fatigue subscale, ranging from 0 to 100, before RT (baseline), after RT, and at three, six, and 12 months. Clinical and treatment-related factors were recorded at baseline. GenPop data was available from a previous survey (n = 652). Linear mixed models and analysis of covariance were applied. RESULTS:Compliance ranged from 87% to 98%. At baseline, mean value (SD) of fatigue in BC patients was 26.8 (23.4). The level increased during RT (mean change 8.3, 95% CI 5.5-11.1), but declined thereafter and did not differ significantly from pre-treatment levels at subsequent time points. In age-adjusted analyses, locoregional RT accounted for more overall fatigue than local RT (mean difference 6.6, 95% CI 1.2-12.0), but the association was weakened and not statistical significant when adjusting for CT and HT. Similar pattern was seen for CT and HT. The course of fatigue differed significantly by CT (p < 0.001, interaction test). At baseline, fatigue levels were higher in patients with than without CT, but at subsequent time points similar levels were evident, indicating a temporary adverse effect of CT. Comorbidity was significantly associated with increased level of fatigue, independent of other factors (mean difference 8.1, 95% CI 2.2-14.1). BC-patients were not significantly more fatigued than GenPop, except for immediately after ending RT, and then only among those without comorbidity (mean 35.9 vs. 25.8, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION:Comorbidity seems to be a more important determinant for fatigue levels than the cancer treatment.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :The cause-effect relationship between iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and osteoporosis has not been established in the general population. Thus, the current longitudinal study determined the role of IDA as a risk factor for osteoporosis by analyzing a large nationwide population-based sample. In a sample of 1,000,000 randomly sampled individuals from the 1998-2012. Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, patients with IDA (case group (n = 35,751)) and individuals without IDA (control group (n = 178,755)) were compared. Patients who were <20 years of age and who had pre-existing osteoporosis prior to the diagnosis of IDA were excluded. Each patient with IDA was age- and gender-matched to five individuals without IDA. The diagnoses of IDA and osteoporosis (coded using ICD-9CM) were further confirmed with blood test results and X-ray bone densitometry to ensure the accuracy of the diagnoses. Osteoporosis occurred more often among patients with IDA compared to individuals without IDA (2.27% vs. 1.32%, p < 0.001). Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that the risk for osteoporosis was significantly higher in the case than the control group (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.61-1.88) and remained similar after adjustment for covariates (adjusted HR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.67-1.97). Compared with individuals without IDA, the risk for osteoporosis was even higher for patients with IDA who received intravenous ferrum therapy (adjusted HR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.85-2.63). In contrast, the risk for osteoporosis was reduced for patients with IDA who received a blood transfusion (adjusted HR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.20-1.80). As a predictor, prior IDA is a significant and independent risk factor for development of osteoporosis.

背景与目标： : 在普通人群中，缺铁性贫血 (IDA) 与骨质疏松症之间的因果关系尚未建立。因此，当前的纵向研究通过分析大量全国基于人群的样本来确定IDA作为骨质疏松症危险因素的作用。在从1998-2012中随机抽取的1,000,000个样本中。对台湾全民健康保险研究数据库、IDA患者 (病例组 (n = 35,751)) 和无IDA患者 (对照组 (n = 178,755)) 进行比较。年龄 <20岁且在诊断IDA之前已有骨质疏松症的患者被排除。每位IDA患者的年龄和性别与五名没有IDA的患者相匹配。通过血液检查结果和x射线骨密度法进一步确认IDA和骨质疏松症 (使用ICD-9CM编码) 的诊断，以确保诊断的准确性。与没有IDA的个体相比，IDA患者中更经常发生骨质疏松症 (2.27% vs. 1.32%，p <0.001)。Cox比例风险分析显示，该病例的骨质疏松症风险显着高于对照组 (风险比 (HR) = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.61-1.88)，并且在校正协变量后保持相似 (调整后HR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.67-1.97)。与没有IDA的个体相比，接受静脉铁治疗的IDA患者的骨质疏松症风险更高 (调整后的HR = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.85-2.63)。相比之下，接受输血的IDA患者的骨质疏松症风险降低 (调整后的HR = 1.47; 95% CI = 1.20-1.80)。作为预测因素，先前的IDA是骨质疏松症发生的重要且独立的危险因素。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Olaratumab is a recombinant human monoclonal antibody that binds to platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα). In a randomized phase II study, olaratumab plus doxorubicin met its predefined primary endpoint for progression-free survival and achieved a highly significant improvement in overall survival versus doxorubicin alone in patients with advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS). In this study, we characterize the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of olaratumab in a cancer patient population. METHODS:Olaratumab was tested at 15 or 20 mg/kg in four phase II studies (in patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, STS, and gastrointestinal stromal tumors) as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy. PK sampling was performed to measure olaratumab serum levels. PK data were analyzed by nonlinear mixed-effect modeling techniques using NONMEM®. RESULTS:The PKs of olaratumab were best described by a two-compartment PK model with linear clearance (CL). Patient body weight was found to have a significant effect on both CL and central volume of distribution (V 1), whereas tumor size significantly affected CL. A small subset of patients developed treatment-emergent anti-drug antibodies (TE-ADAs); however, TE-ADAs did not have any effect on CL or PK time course of olaratumab. There was no difference in the PKs of olaratumab between patients who received olaratumab as a single agent or in combination with chemotherapy. CONCLUSION:The PKs of olaratumab were best described by a model with linear disposition. Patient body weight and tumor size were found to be significant covariates. The PKs of olaratumab were not affected by immunogenicity or chemotherapeutic agents.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:In the first population-based study of psychopathology conducted in Haiti, we documented earthquake-related experiences associated with risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) 2-4 months following the 2010 Haiti earthquake. METHODS:A population-based survey was conducted of 1,323 survivors randomly selected from the general nondisplaced community, internally displaced persons camps, and a community clinic. Respondents were from the Nazon area of Port-au-Prince, ∼20 miles from the epicenter. RESULTS:Respondents (90.5%) reported at least one relative/close friend injured/killed, 93% saw dead bodies, and 20.9% lost their job post-earthquake. The prevalence of PTSD (24.6%) and MDD (28.3%) was high. History of violent trauma was associated with risk of PTSD and MDD (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.4, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.0-1.9; AOR, 1.7, 95% CI 1.3, 2.2, respectively). Low social support (AOR, 1.7, 95% CI 1.2, 2.3; AOR 1.4, 95% CI 1.0, 1.9, respectively) increased risk of PTSD and MDD among women. Suffering damage to the home increased risk of MDD in males (AOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.5, 5.5). Associations between being trapped in rubble, major damage to house, job loss, and PTSD; and participation in rescue/recovery, friends/family injured/killed, and MDD varied based on prior history of violent trauma. CONCLUSIONS:Addressing mental health in a post-earthquake setting such as Haiti will require focusing resources on screening and treatment of identified vulnerable groups while targeting improvement of post-earthquake living conditions. Investment in sources of social support for women may make help mitigate the vulnerability of women to PTSD and MDD.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: PURPOSE:Descriptive studies have indicated a rising trend in Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) incidence in young adults, especially females. Increasing evidence has suggested that some risk factors associated with HL may vary by age or gender. Recent studies have reported an increased risk of HL associated with increasing body mass index (BMI), but the results have been inconsistent. The objectives of this study were to examine whether the associations between measures of body size (height, weight, and BMI) and HL risk vary by age and/or gender. METHODS:A population-based case-control study was conducted in Connecticut and Massachusetts. A total of 567 HL cases and 679 controls were recruited in 1997-2000. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS:Among younger women <35 years old, being overweight (25-29.9 kg/m(2)) versus normal weight (18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)) was significantly associated with an increased risk of HL (OR = 2.1, 95 % CI = 1.1-4.0). The risk increased with increasing weight and BMI (p trends <0.01). Among women ≥35 years old, by contrast, higher weight and BMI were associated with a reduced risk of HL (p trends <0.01). Conversely, there was no significant association between BMI and risk of HL in younger or older males. CONCLUSIONS:These findings show that the associations between body size and risk of HL vary by gender and age, and require confirmation in other populations.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery (LGBS) has become the most widely used bariatric procedure due to its beneficial long-term outcomes for patients with morbid obesity. However, it is unclear whether racial differences in admission for LGBS have changed over time compared to racial differences in all other admissions. We aimed to investigate the trends and differences in the use of LGBS among white, African-American, and Hispanic patients from 2002 to 2008. METHODS:We performed a secondary analysis of data on obese adult patients operated between 2002 and 2008, using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. The probability of being admitted for LGBS was estimated using logistic regression with race, year, and year by race interaction as predictors, controlling for numerous patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS:Among 1,704,972 obese hospitalized patients captured through NIS from 2002 to 2008, 2.6 % underwent LGBS (2.8 % Whites, 1.7 % African-Americans, and 2.6 % Hispanics). In adjusted analysis, obese African-American (OR 0.48, p < 0.001) and Hispanic patients (OR 0.59, p < 0.001) were less likely to be admitted for LGBS than white patients in 2002. Race-year interactions showed that the odds of African-Americans undergoing LGBS significantly increased from 2002 to 2008 compared with Whites (annual OR 1.03, p < 0.001) while no such increase was detected for Hispanics (annual OR 1.02, p = 0.11). In 2008, African-American (OR 0.58, p < 0.001) and Hispanic patients (OR 0.65, p < 0.001) still had lower odds than white patients. CONCLUSIONS:This is the first study showing that the difference in the use of LGBS between obese African-American and white patients declined between 2002 and 2008. However, LGBS use still remained significantly lower for both African-American and Hispanic patients in 2008 compared with white patients.

背景与目标：

BACKGROUND & AIMS: :Isolated tomato fruit cuticles were subjected to low dose (80Gy) γ-irradiation, as a potential methodology to prevent harvested fruit and vegetables spoilage. Both irradiated and non-irradiated samples have been morphologically and chemically characterized by scanning electron (SEM), atomic force (AFM), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopies. Additionally, electrochemical measurements comprising membrane potential and diffusive permeability were carried out to detect modifications in transport properties of the cuticle as the fruit primary protective membrane. It has been found that low dose γ-irradiation causes some textural changes on the surface but no significant chemical modification. Texture modification is found to be due to a partial removal of outermost (epicuticular) waxes which is accompanied by mild changes of electrochemical parameters such as the membrane fixed charge, cation transport number and salt permeability. The modification of such parameters indicates a slight reduction of the barrier properties of the cuticle upon low dose γ-irradiation.

背景与目标： : 对分离的番茄果实角质层进行低剂量 (80Gy) γ 辐照，作为防止收获的水果和蔬菜变质的潜在方法。辐照和未辐照样品均已通过扫描电子 (SEM)，原子力 (AFM)，衰减全反射傅里叶变换红外 (atr-ftir) 和x射线光电子 (XPS) 光谱进行了形态和化学表征。此外，进行了包含膜电位和扩散渗透性的电化学测量，以检测作为水果初级保护膜的角质层的运输特性的变化。已经发现，低剂量的 γ 辐照会在表面上引起一些质地变化，但没有明显的化学修饰。发现纹理修饰是由于部分去除最外层 (表皮) 蜡，并伴随着电化学参数的轻微变化，例如膜固定电荷，阳离子迁移数和盐渗透性。这些参数的修改表明，在低剂量 γ 辐照下，角质层的阻隔性能略有降低。

BACKGROUND & AIMS: BACKGROUND:Accuracy of bone marrow (BM) blast count in low-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) still remains a challenge though it is essential for prognosis. We investigated whether the enumeration of CD34+ myeloid cells by flow cytometry immunophenotyping (FCI) could be used as a consistent parameter for clinical MDS studies. METHODS:Six clinical centers entered the study and information on their FCI protocols was recorded. Sixty-seven flow cytometry listmodes from BM samples of patients with low-risk MDS with <5% BM blasts were exchanged among participants in two different rounds. Interlaboratory variations on the quantification of CD34+ myeloid cells were calculated and strategies to solve differences were evaluated. RESULTS:An overall "very good" agreement on CD34+ cell count among participants (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.720) was observed, but agreement was "low" in 22 files. No single parameter could fully explain all discrepancies, but 3 technical issues were identified as relevant: the use of the CD34/CD45/CD117/HLA-DR mAb combination, acquisition of ≥50,000 events and a low percentage of debris/aggregates. The frequency of discordant results increased with the accumulation of pitfalls (none, 16%; 1 pitfall, 40%; 2 pitfalls, 83%; P = 0.006). Finally, the use of a common gating strategy for analysis increased the percentage of files with "very good" agreement to 100%. CONCLUSIONS:Prevention of specific technical pitfalls is mandatory to reach a good reproducibility of CD34+ cell count among centers. These recommendations set the basis for laboratory standardization and enable the use of CD34+ cell enumeration as additional information in low-risk MDS patients. © 2017 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

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